of stealing and hearts
by kotax
Summary: because technically, the first time James and Lily go on a date, she's the one that asks. Or, 5 times James doesn't call it a date, and one time that Lily does.


**01\. IT WAS THE FURTHEST FROM A DATE. FALL OF SEVENTH YEAR.**

She comes running around the corner, screaming his name loudly, pounding on the door, her beautiful voice telling him to "stop fooling around with Sirius, they had work to do."

And he plays along, this is who he is, pranks and jokes. So he doesn't even hesitate when he says that they only need a minute more to properly dress themselves.

The words that follow make it seem that she doesn't get the joke. He has two minutes to get out and help her with rounds before she's spreading what the two were doing in there.

James chuckles in reply, pulling the door open while asking her if she would like to be the one to clean up the riots that were sure to come with tarnishing Sirius' reputation with their female companion. She calls him an idiot, telling him that she can't believe she's been assigned to work with the worst head boy in history.

He scoffs loudly, a feigned hurt expression in his eyes as he jokes about the words wounding him, how he wanted to be the best head boy in history. James wouldn't admit it, he played the words off so playfully, but the words she'd spoken had struck a nerve with him. Because he wanted to make his parents proud - wanted to be a great head boy, and if he couldn't win over Lily Evans that wouldn't happen.

Swallowing, he turns from her and strides across the room to close the textbook he'd been studying from. As he walks, he states, dryly, "I know you wish for a better co-head, however, you and I both know that won't happen any time soon. So, until you convince our dear Headmaster that I am not fit for this position, what can I assist you with this evening?" He turns back to lock his gaze with hers, going on to say "I'm sure you've told me before and it's simply slipped my mind and I apologize."

She shakes her head, clearly not wanting to get into it again. _It's fine_ she says, but it's clearly not fine. He's fallen back to his old patterns, he's failed and he can do better. He **needs** to do better.

He nods, telling her to give him fifteen minute to write it down, he'll have it to her.

She thanks him, but it's done so dryly he isn't sure that she believes him.

James Potter mentally slaps himself and decides that, next time she comes running to him wanting his suggestions for the next terms Rounds assignment, he'll have them ready for her. As she walks away, he wonders for a moment why he ever thought he could win her over. They're the furthest from ever dating two people could ever be.

 **02\. IT COULD POSSIBLY BE A DATE (depending on who asks). - LATE FALL.**

The Gryffindor Common Room is a bustling _mess,_ it's getting colder out, and it's much more comfortable to study on a large couch than the library tables. He notices her sitting by herself, and he walks over and plops himself right smack in the middle of the couch - almost on her thigh.

"Say, Evans, where's your normal gal pals?" he questions, playful tones ringing clear.

She doesn't say anything, but her gaze catches his eye and he sees it. Sadness. He instantly sombers and isn't sure if he should slide away or pull her into his side. He doesn't ask if she is okay - doesn't ask what's wrong. He just asks if she wants to talk.

She doesn't. He isn't surprised.

So they don't talk. He grabs a book from his back and she sets to work on her essay, roll of parchment popped up on a text book leaning against the arm of the couch. And they sit there for almost an hour in silence, the only sound heard is the chaos of students running around and enjoying themselves, and they write together.

He doesn't move, not until they get up to get supper. His leg stays where it was, a hair between his thigh and hers. Occasionally, when she'd shuffle to dip her quill in ink or he'd move to turn a page, they'd touch and neither of them said anything.

He wouldn't say anything to her, but he felt those butterflies girls talk about whenever it happened. And, from behind his messy hair falling over his brow, he's pretty sure he saw her blush.

It wasn't a date, but onlookers sure thought it was. The way that the two were smiling every few minutes, and the fact that there was only a few inches between the two of them. If circumstances were different, this could have been a study date. But it's not.

 **03\. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DATE…. But it wasn't. WINTER.**

He loves his parents, he does. But he doesn't want to go home this year. He would much rather stay here, with his friends. Hogwarts, where they were safe from the outside world and for just a moment, he could pretend that everything was going to be okay.

Where he could be safe and happy with his friends. With Sirius, Remus, and Peter. The three best friends he needed. And Lily.

He and Lily had come so far in such a short period of time. Funny how that sort of thing happens when you put aside your prejudices and focus on who someone really is.

Lily Evans has a fire in her that no one could extinguish, not even herself. James certainly doesn't want to.

Instead he adds to the fire - he infuriates her and teases her. She does the same to him. It started out as a hatred for each other, but eventually, they realized that they cared for each other and enjoyed giving the other a hard time.

It was a dreary and cold winter, not that anyone was surprised by the weather. Everyone has slowly started packing their things for the Holiday break, Christmas was coming quickly, but it felt like it was still so far. The mood was not the same as it had been in years past. Not for James Potter.

The final prefects meeting before break had just finished up, and they're the only two left in the drim classroom.

She makes a casual remark about the two 5th year prefects from Hufflepuff; wondering if they're rivals or there's a spark there.

He smirks as his shoulders pull into a casual shrug. "Can't it be both?"

James sees her smile - a beautiful smile that could solve all the world's problems; he's sure it will even stop people from dying. The more he's gotten to know Lily Evans this year, the more that he's falling for her. Not just her beautiful looks, but also her radiant personality. Her smiles were infectious, she was always able to make people feel better, and she had more sass than what could fit in her tiny figure.

Lily Evans was the exact definition of perfect.

"Maybe." She concedes a few moments later while pulling her bag over her shoulder. James doesn't miss that her hair gets caught under the strap, he doesn't miss the way that she tosses her head to the side slightly to pull it out. How did everything she do seem so.. Captivating.

He mentally shakes himself out of it as he holds the door open for her, nodding in reply to her muttered thanks.

They were on the other side of the castle from where the Gryffindor common room was located, so James asks if she's heading back up that way or if she's off to meet with some friends.

He doesn't bother to hide the smile that pulls at his pink lips when she says that she's walking back to her dormitory. Along with his smile, he offers to walk with her, and mentions that he knows a place they could go to grab a snack, because he remembers her comment about being hungry right before the meeting started. Dinner wasn't for another hour.

She responds immediately, and to James, it looks like she appreciates the offer.

So, they walk together, and James shows her where the kitchens are. There was no awkward silence, no comfortable silence, either. They shared conversation about that awkward Hufflepuff pair that they mentioned earlier. And maybe they shouldn't have been gossiping about prefects - but it was all in good fun, and it wasn't like they were going to be telling their theories to anyone else.

Later that night, after parting with her right outside the great hall - James does something without thinking. He kisses her cheek, and no one could miss the smile and tint that takes her face.

It should have been a date, he should have manned up and called it one, but he didn't.

 **04\. IT WAS NEVER A DATE TO BEGIN WITH - LATE WINTER**

She was the most infuriating person to work with, James decides. He'd heard it before from study partners, but he never believed them because when she'd tutor the younger kids they all praised her. "Lily Evans is hands down the _best_ person you can get to tutor you!", they'd said.

But they'd agreed to meet in the usual prefect meeting spot, James had agreed to bring dinner, and they'd finish up their potions essays and work on the last bit of rounds schedules for the year.

He thought it would be nice, just the two of them _alone_ eating food, studying, working. They'd made so much progress on the friend front this year, and he enjoyed her company and it seemed like she was enjoying his

What a mistake that was.

Right off the bat she'd accidentally knocked her papers off the table and it went downhill from there. Every suggestion he'd made, she snapped at. Said they couldn't work together.

When he'd ask why she tapped her quill tip on the table while thinking, just out of curiosity, she'd yelped that "I don't need to run _everything i do by you, Potter."_

He'd never realized Lily Evans was so… irritable.

She'd stormed out, and he wasn't even sure what he did to upset her. He simply shakes his head, swallowing and chuckling a bit inside.

When he gets back to his room, Sirius and the others are waiting to ask how his date with Lily went.

He shrugs, the question striking a nerve. "Not a date." Is all he says. He doesn't elaborate on anything more, about how horrible the evening was or wasn't.

Because, well, it wasn't ever supposed to be a date.

 **05\. IT WAS TOTALLY A DATE (but they were too chicken to admit it) - EARLY SPRING.**

She smiles; and James has said it before but man, her smile was _magical._ ( not just because she was a witch. Even a muggle would think so.) Especially now, as they sit out over the lake. There's a small chill in the air, and it gives Lily's nose a little hint of pink on the tip. And it's adorable.

She tells him a story, about her break and her sister, and she's laughing. James is pretty sure she hasn't laughed when talking about her sister in a long time.

He wonders if they're making progress - he remembers how she never talked about her much because they weren't close anymore.

But then her face falls, and his thoughts are wiped away in an instant as she stops abruptly.

"You know, Lil, if I ever meet your sister, I could probably light her on fire for you." He suggests, casually.

"James!" She scolds through a laugh. He holds his hands up.

"Hey!" Defensive tones ringing, he goes on to elaborate. "I'd put the flame out before she was ever permanently damaged! I'm not _evil"_

She shakes her head, teeth biting down on her lip, an obvious attempt to hide her smile. (Its not working.)

"She deserves it." James whispers, nudging her with his shoulder. "You're too special to be treated like a peasant. You should be treated like a true queen."

"A Queen?" She questions, brow raised.

"Oh, yes." He says with a nod. "The kind of queen that is good to her people and all the people love her." Because, in his eyes, that's what she is. She's been doing a remarkable job of being head girl - she's like the Queen of Hogwarts.

"Thanks." Is all she says, but the twinkle in her eyes is enough for James.

They sit out on the lawn for another hour until it starts to get dark, and then they walk to the Great Hall together for dinner. She joins him and his friends, and he receives a playful slap when he mentions playing a prank on someone.

James has rounds that evening, so he walks her back to the common room and comments about how they spent the entire afternoon together and not once talked about assignments or their duties as heads. Lily simply nods, saying it was a nice change of pace.

His hand rests on her shoulder as he gives her a soft kiss, nothing intense like he'd always imagined his first kiss with Lily would be. But it was perfect.

She's doing that thing again, he notices. The thing where she bites her lips and her eyes sparkle in the light.

She's driving him mad, but what was new.

With a whispered goodnight, his hand lingers on her shoulder a moment longer, before running it gently over her loose hair and turning away.

As he walks to meet with Landon, he smiles to himself... that sure seemed like a date. But, no, it wasn't a date.

 **06\. IT WAS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A DATE - MID-SPRING**

She was absolutely, positively, _insane._

But, then again, was she really surprised? She knew this already, she new this weeks ago when she squealed like a lovesick teenager when James kissed her.

James. Kissed. _Her._

And she didn't lose her mind, she actually wanted him to. Those moments when she thought he might, she was chanting in the back of her mind for him to just do it. And he did, and it sure was something.

They haven't talked about it - because nothing seemed to change after that kiss. They still hung out every Wednesday, they still walked to meetings together and worked on assignments. She still playfully smacked him and told him to be a better example when he makes comments about the pranks he and his band of friends were planning.

But, while Lily enjoyed all those things, she wanted something to change. She wanted _more._

So, she corners him after Defense Against the Dark Arts one day, and she swallows her pride.

James clearly wasn't going to ask her, so she'd have to ask him. She was a strong woman, she could do this.

She almost freezes, but she does it.

"Be my date to Hogsmeade."

Nobody would miss the smile on his face, it radiated for miles.

"You know, aren't I supposed to ask you that?" He questions casually.

Lily rolls her eyes, "I thought so, but then you never did and I'm an impatient girl."

He just laughs, a hearty laugh that gives her butterflies and she returns it with her own smile.

It was definitely going to be Lily's favorite date, she could tell already.

* * *

 **authors note:**

have a rough, un-edited cut of 6 drabbles i've written lately in my attempts to get out of my writers block. any and all mistakes are mine, and i am not our lovely bff rowling so i own nothing except the computer i'm typing these on.


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